This invention relates in general to cooling towers and more particularly to grids and fill slats for such towers.
The typical cooling tower of the type used to cool the water that is circulated through the condensers of steamed-powered electrical generating equipment contains a fill located between an elevated distribution basin and a lower collecting basin. Air circulates freely between the two basins, and an elevated stack or fan is usually employed to induce a draft through the region between the two basins. The fill is composed of a multitude of horizontal slats against which warm water from the elevated distribution basin is directed. This water impinges against the fill slats and is dispersed. This in turn transfers heat to the air passing through the fill, much of the heat being lost in evaporating some of the water.
Traditionally, the grids have been fabricated from galvanized wire, and recently it has been the practice to coat the wire of the grids with a polymer. These wire grids are somewhat expensive and difficult to handle. Moreover, in spite of the protective coatings they still corrode.
The slats are normally composed of wood, such as fir or redwood, which has been treated with a preservative. Wood of this type however is expensive and furthermore will eventually rot, in which case it must be replaced.